Five boutiques of excellent vintage

Located right in the middle of the bustling Rue Daguerre, you can't miss the lemon-yellow frontage of La Cave des Papilles. The owner, a lover of 'natural' wine, has been operating in Paris for 16 years, and of the 1200 wines on offer, 80% are produced organically, while the rest are more traditional. The owner knows each supplier personally, most of them independent.

A forward-thinking and playful wine bar. There are no less than 100 varieties on display in self-service cabinets, each with detailed tasting notes available via touchscreen. Bottles are classified according to their robustness, from the lightest whites to the stickiest fortified vintages, via fruity reds and tannic wines. Each client gets a loyalty card (€2 if you don’t want a permanent one).

The Cave de l’Insolite (Cellar of the Unusual) is on Rue de la Folie Méricourt ('Mad Mericourt Street'), but the Baraquin brothers (Arnaud and Axel, who used to work for Thierry Faucher at Cave de l’Os à Moelle and Thierry Blanqui at ‘Beurre Noisette’, respectively) aren't crazy, except for good food and wine.

In the heart of the once-rural Batignolles district, Le Vin en Tête has been supplying wine enthusiasts for over 10 years. Some of its popular featured producers are Michel Augé (Côteaux de Loire), Jean-Michel Stephan (Côte Rôtie), Sébastien Riffaut (Sancerre), Jean Delobre from the Ardèche, and even Annette Leccia from Corsica.

For first timers, Le Verre Volé seems like a basic wine store with a few rickety tables, but reserve a spot one night and you’ll understand why NY Times food writer Alec Lobrano calls his favourite wine bar in the city. Located in the ever-trendy Canal-St-Martin district, the tiny bistro has become a neighbourhood staple over the past few years, which means reservations are strongly suggested for lunch or dinner.